Emily Maguire (27) made a special pilgrimage to her family home in Termonfeckin, Co Louth, earlier this month to have the wedding rites performed at her local parish church after her civil marriage in the US last year.

But now her heartbroken husband, naval diver Sean Kennedy (34), will be returning to their adopted home of San Diego, California, alone after his bride's tragic death in a car crash on Monday.

Fr Aidan Murphy, parish priest at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Termonfeckin, said he had been delighted to perform the marriage ceremony for Ms Maguire at the same church where she was baptised and made her First Holy Communion.

Tragically he is now tasked with performing the Requiem Mass for her tomorrow.

The family also celebrated the christening of Ms Maguire's nephew the day after her wedding at the same church.

"It was a weekend of celebration and now it's the complete opposite," Fr Murphy said.

"It's incredibly tragic. She was so happy to be home," he told the Irish Independent last night.

"She was so full of life, a beautiful woman," he added.

Hundreds of mourners are expected to attend the service, including members of Mr Kennedy's family who flew out from the US immediately after the tragic accident.

Mr Kennedy has described Ms Maguire as his soul mate whom he met when she was living in the same apartment complex as him when she went to the US on a J1 visa in June 2005.

The funeral will be held at 12.30pm tomorrow followed by burial at the adjacent cemetery.